Apparatus for feeding molten glass



' 1 22 6 March 29, 1927. K. E. PEU-ER ,6 66

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING MOLTEN GLASS In ven tor ling an orifice heater of modifie Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

KARL E. PEILER, OF WEST HARTFORD,

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HARTFORD- EMPIBE COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF DELA- vFAIRE APPARATUS FOR FEEDING MOLTEN GLASS.

Application llled Iarch 31, 1925. Serial No. 19,567.

This invention relates to ap aratus for feeding molten glass, and one o its lobjects is to provide an im roved heated outlet construction for such eeders through which the glass is discharged from a furnace or other suitable container.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character deslgnated which ma be readily assembled and may be remova le and easily replaced as a unit. A` further object of the invention is to rovide an orifice heater unit which lshall Ee durable in construction, simple 1n operation and inexpensive to manufacture. T hese and other objects will be more manifest from the accompanying drawin and description, and from the appende claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a view showing a vertical section of a heater construction embodying' the invention; I

Fig. 2 is a vertical section view through the discharge orifice of a glass feeder equipped with an orifice heater constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to F1 2, showtion, and

Fi 4 is a perspective view of the support for t e heater elements shown in the precedin figures.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the numeral 10 indicates a glass dischar e well of conventional type located in'the ttom 'wall 11 of any suitable container for feeding molten glass such as a forehearth corinected to a glass melting furnace. rlhis wall is supported by suitable metallic frame members 12. Located adjacent to the container wall and aligned with the well 10, is secured an outlet ring havinguxiliary heating apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.

The heater unit comprises a metallic casing member 13,/ in which is supported an orice ring 14. This ring may be made of fire clay or other suitable refractory material. The ring 14 is shown to resemble the frustum of a cone but it will be readily understood that this ring ma be made in any desired shape. Surroun ing the ring 14 -and spaced therefrom is a refractory support 15, having its sides substantially parallel to the sides of the orifice ring 14,

construcwith which'it is associated. While the support 15 may be made of any suitable re fractory material, I preferably use a fused alumina material known as alundum, this material having a suflicient electrical insulating value ,at its working temperature. The support 15 is retained in position by spacing elements 16` provided around its bottom portion and adapted to bear against the refractory ring 14 and the casing 13.

The outer wall of the refractor support 15 carries suitably arranged electric heati elements 17, which may be of any desirxd configuration. These heating elements are shown as spiral coils retained in suitable ngrooves 18 provided in the support 15. Surrounding the refractory support 15 and spaced therefrom is a casing member 19,

which is preferably composed of refractory heat-insulating material and is adapted to be retained in position by the metallic casing member 13. In the preferred embodiment, this casing member 19 is shown as having its inner walls substantially parallel to the walls of the orifice ring 14 and of the refractory support 15. By removing the casing 13, any of the several parts are readily accessible for replacement and repair.

In spacing the refractory heating element support 15 from and in substantially parallel relation to the refractory orifice 14, an annulariair space 20 is provided between these .members This annular air space effectively provides a means for protecting the heater elements as hereinafter described., The outer wall ofthe refractory insulating member 19 may be adapted to conform to the general configuration of the metallic casing thereby forming a durable construction. Mounted in the casing 13 are suitable insulator bushings 21 and 22 adapted to accommodate the respective lead-in wires 23 and 24 which connect with the heating coil 17. The casing 13 containing the heater unit is detachably secured to the furnace frame members 12 by any suitable means, as for example, by lag bolts 25. i

While I have shown this unit secured by bolts, it is obvious that it may be provided with a hinge and latch mechanism of wellknown construction which will also permit quick removal of the ring unit and facilitate replacement and repair of the heater and ring parts. The mold charges are directly n i lo,

Should it be desirable to change orifice rings,

this `ma also be accomplished with like ease an facility, and with minimum inter ruption in the operation of the feeder.

The air space 20 between the orifice ring- 14 and the refractor heater ring 15 is rovided to permit they ischarge of glass w ose temperature is higher than the safe working temperature of the metallic heating element 17. If, for instance, the heating element 17 cannot be worked safely above 2100o F. and molten vglass with a temperature of 2300 F. is discharged through the orifice ring, it might be possible under certain conditions of discharge for the orifice ring to acquire a temperature somewhere between 2100 F. and 2300 F. which would be in]u rious to the heating element 17 were it not protected by the air space 20.

When glass havinllr a higher temperature than that attained by the heating element 17 is discharged through the orifice, the heating element is still of great benefit even though its temperature is lower than that of the glass. This is because the heating element still protects the orifice ring from extraneous chilling influences and minimizes its cooling. It also minimizes the llning of cold glass which tends to form on the wallsof the orifice ring. Another advantage which is retained in spite of the temperature limitations of the heating element is that of preventing chilling of lass in the orifice when the feeder is out o operation, thereby facilitating quick and easy starting of the feeder'.

Fig. 2 shows the forehearth of a glass feeder of the plunger type embodying the improved outlet heater described above. In this type of feeder, the plunger 26 reciprocates periodically to feed mold charges of glass through the discharge orifice, to which the electric heater is attached.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the electric heating unit is mounted in the bottom wall of the forehearth. This construction is particularly desirable in installations where it is necessary to conserve space between the feeder and the glass fabricating appartus.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the constructions shown herein without de arting from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. Asan element of a glass feeder, an outlet structure comprising a refractory discharge nozzle provided with a spaced surrounding casing, and electrical means mounted on a support within the casing and spaced from the nozzle.

2. As an element of a glass feeder, an outlet structure comprising a refractory discharge nozzle provided with a spaced surrounding casing, a. support located within the casing and spaced from the nozzle walls, and electrical heating means mounted on the support.

3. As an element of a glass feeder, a nozzle unit for discharging molten glass, comprising a casing, inner and outer annular refractory wall members supported in the casing, a refractory support member located between and spaced from said annular members, and electrical heating means carried by the support. Y 4. As an element of a glass feeder, a nozzle unit for discharging molten glass, including spaced concentric and refractory orifice ring members, electrical heating elements located in the annular space between said ring/members, and a refractory member s aced from the inner refractory orifice mem er for supporting the heating elements.

5. In an ap aratusjfor separating molten glass into mo d charges, a nozzle for discharging molten glass, comprising inner and outer refractory wall members arranged to form an intermediate chamber, a refractory support member located between the refractory members, and electrical heating means carried by the refractory support.

6. The combination with a receptacle for molten glass having a discharge nozzle, of a removable heater unit comprising a refractory support surrounding said nozzle and spaced therefrom, electrical heating means mounted on said support, and a casing surrounding said support, the said casing being detachable to permit removal of said heater unit. :c 7. In apparatus for feeding molten glass, a refractory discharge nozzle provided with a hollow surrounding casing, a support located within the hollow casing, and electrical heating elements surrounding the nozzle, said heating elements being arranged in a spiral on the support.

8. In combination with the outlet of a container for molten glass, an outlet struc-l heating.

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nozzle and spaced therefrom, an'd electrical heating means carried by the heat radiating element. l

10. In combination with the outlet of a container for molten glass, an outlet structure including a refractory discharge nozzle, a concentric frusto-conical heat-radiating element surrounding the nozzle and spaced therefrom, and electrical heating means carried on the outer surface portion of the heatradiating element.

11. In combination with the outlet of a container for molten glass, an outlet structure including a frusto-conical, refractory discharge nozzle, a heat-radiating element surrounding the nozzle and spaced therefrom, electrical heating means carried by the heat-radiating element, and a refractory casing member spaced from and surroundin the heat-radiating element.

igned at Hartford, Connecticut, this 28th day of March, 1925.

KARL E. PEILER. 

